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Show OPINIONS www.uvureview.corn MARCH 28, 2011 VOL L ISSUE 28 Planning for the future Planned Parenthood creates a dialogue around the long-tabooed topic of sex. These services are essential to open the subject and inform people about safe methods. By Megan Flox-Lambert Opinions Writer A mericans have the highest Firate of sexually transmitted infections and teen pregnancies of any industrialized nation. In the United States, 19 million new sexually transmitted infections are contracted each year, according to the Center for Disease Control. Despite such sobering statistics, attempts are being made to cut federal funding for Planned Parenthood, an organization that provides education and services that fight the spread of sexually transmitted infections and the proliferation of teen pregnancies. Planned Parenthood and local organizations like this university's Student Health Services counter the ignorant sexual practices and naïve sexual attitudes that create these serious problems. Locally, Planned Parenthood of Orem offers contraception in many forms priced on a sliding scale so costs can fit all budgets, including the limited budgets of students. The highest price charged for birth control pills at Planned Parenthood is $48.00, which includes an initial consultation, and $18.00 per month thereafter. These prices may, however, be lower for many, depending on individual financial circumstances. Pills can be dispensed at Planned Parenthood directly so there is no need to make a trip to the pharmacy. Intrauterine devices are also available at sliding scale pricing, the maximum cost being $488.00 for a 5-year implantation or $328.00 for a 3-year implantation. Similarly, birth control rings, injections and patches are available at income-specific pricing. Condoms, taken at three or fewer, are free and the morning after pill costs $30.00 or less. Planned Parenthood provides education about body image and sexual identity, as well as information for parents and educators who want to discuss sexuality or sexual health with families and students. Some Planned Parenthood facilities provide abortion services, while others, like the Orem location, only make referrals. Contrary to common belief, federal funds are not used to perform abortion services at Planned Parenthood. Student Health Services, located in SC 221, is another great resource for sexual health and overall well-being. Although SHS's birth control options are limited to the birth control pill or ring, prescriptions are only $10.00 per month and $40.00 for an initial pap smear, if needed. These prescriptions must be taken to a pharmacy. Pregnancy tests cost between $8.00 and $20.00 and basic health exams are just $10.00. SHS , like Planned Parenthood, provides these services in a confidential manner and seeks to provide reliable, honest information to all its patients. IRCUAN I NI * $/ .,„ I pi•Ot. • ri j‘f • ...Alt ■■■••■• - 414 TROJAN-E • HRAND LAM( CONILX-Mic . 4.0•111" LIAIRICA7 111 - — Christian Jensen/UVU Review Planned Parenthood and Student Health Services provide people with a better understanding of sex. Taking those services away could set back necessary discussion. Clearly, Planned Parenthood and Student Health Services are providing vital services and information. It is time for governing bodies to embrace the power and efficacy of these types of programs and back them up with proper funding and support. Otherwise, uninformed sexuality will continually be expressed through widespread sexual disease and unplanned pregnancy. Sexual problems extend far past the moral realm and it is time to address them instead as matters of public health and safety. When fully funded and supported on local and national levels, organiza- tions like Planned Parenthood can have a positive impact. They muss be given the opportunity to be an expanding part of a candid national diologue about sexual health Smaller programs like Student Health Services simply cannot accomplish it alone. Saving grace for students threatened Federal government efforts to curb spending may save billions of dollars over the next decade but will end up hurting students that need help paying for school. IEEMZEENziE,„__Ars PN.TMINY.' ' .0000. 11'1 r. ) .-'; 1 kara „ iSSN- N C-44 rimstaivit'r' Lyndi Bone/UVU Review 'Now would be a good time for students to pay attention to what's going on in the government.' 5 -Joanna McCormick I read both articles titled "The death of liberal arts education" and "Failure to create an academic community." I felt that both had a snobby attitude. You said in yourpaper that the world would be barren if the social sciences, humanities, philosophy and art were no longer a part of the educational dialogue. You would say that after we take our general education that we don't study ethics, sociology or humanities. I would beg to differ. I am an accounting major and in this field being ethical is all that you have. This is a field of trust. As a business person, you must understand the social environment where you do business. It is things like this that make business people seem like elitists By Tia Trujillo Opinions Writer W ith government proposals for budget cuts in higher education, students with the most need may feel the pinch and this university could see a drop in enrollment as more students struggle to pay education expenses. The federal government plans on saving billions of dollars by cutting funds from the higher education budget, and although there have not been any definite decisions made concerning Pell grants, there have been some recent proposals for the higher education budget that would cut $100 billion from Pell grants and other higher education programs over the next decade. Pell grants have been greatly overspent and Congress has the challenge to balance the annual budget. There are two proposals concerning the federally funded Pell grants that over 9 million students receive each year. The first is to cut down the current maximum amount for a Pell Grant from $5,550 to $4,655. It is said that the change would save $2 billion over the next year and $29 billion over the next decade. For some students, the $845 that could be cut is a major help towards paying their tuition without taking out student loans. Recently, the House passed this bill, but was stopped by the Senate. The proposal may be rewritten or tossed out altogether. The second proposal is to end the "year round Pell" that lets students collect two grants in a calendar year, making the second grant available for the summer semester. Cutting this would save $8 billion next year and $60 billion over a decade. This bill is yet to be written and has not yet been presented to the House. Cutting the summer program would hurt students who use the extra funding to get a semester closer to graduation and with fewer student loans to pay off. Last summer this university saw an enrollment increase of 31 percent. If the funding for summer semesters is cut, enrollment could return to its original standing, as students would have to go part-time in either the fall or spring semester to have left over Pell grant funding or Letters to the Editor who don't care about humanity. The reason there are not a lot of students interested in those classes is because, quite frankly, they are boring. Before you start saying that the people in other fields besides the liberal arts don't understand what is in the social sciences, humanities and philosophy, I would urge you to do research. I know what is in their way of thinking. I don't know the specifics, but I know they are idiots, especially those Marx and Mao fellows. You complain students don't go to events. Not all of us are here to get the education that you are suggesting. Some of us want to get a real education that we can use in the real word. Ten years from now, I am not going to care what team won the PAC-10. I am going to care on how much I learned from this school. The reason people like me don't go to games is because we live away from the school. We are not going to drive 30 minutes to attend school, drive home and drive back to school in four hours to watch a basketball game. We have this thing called a life and it consists of more than going to school. Some of us have kids, jobs - heck, for me just attending school is enough. Before you start throwing your opinion around, why don't you do this: take 20 credits of classes, work at least part-time and see if you can make the extracurricular activities. -Jory Smith I was reading your article on low student involvement and something that was said bothered me. In your article it states, "703 students logged onto UVLink to vote. Two percent of the student body decided who would represent them and their 32,000 classmates." My problem is many people, including myself, didn't vote because there was nobody to vote against - no options. I knew, whether I voted or not, the candidates would win; that was my reason. I guess I cannot speak for everyone. -Cindy Nunez apply for student loans to cover the cost of the summer semester. "The loss would be devastating," said financial director Joanna McCormick. "Now would be a good time for students to pay attention to what's going on in the government. As issues arise, students may want to contact their legislature." One advantage that the students do have is that this university maintains one of cheapest per-semester tuition costs in the state. It also, however, has many non-traditional students, including those over 25 years old and those who have children. Some are single parents and some come from a lower income bracket. Many rely on Pell grants to pay for or aid in paying for their educations. Although the government has the job of balancing the federal budget, cutting down the higher education funding that so many of the students in need cannot pay for school would be devastating to those who, without it, cannot afford to attend and may be unable to finish their degrees. 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